Hammer and rake for culling oysters.



Patented Mar. l8, I902.

J. w. RUSSELL.- HAMMER AND RAKE FOR CULLING OYSTERS.

No. 695,65l.

(Application filed Get. 24, 1901.)

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UNITED- STATES "PATENTLOF JOHN W. RUSSELL, 0E BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HAMMERAND RAKE FOR CULLING: QYSTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,651, dated March is, 1902.

Application filed October 24, 1901- S ri N 79l756l N0 model- To. aZZ whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, J0HNW. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Balti more, in the State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammers and Rakes for Culling Oysters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved hammer and rakefor culling oysters; and its object is to provide a culling hammer and rake in which the fastening means for securing the head to the handle is so constructed as to protect the latter and prevent it from being worn by the abrasive action of the oysters when using either the rake part or hammer part.

The invention consists in certain constructions and arrangement of the parts hereinafter fully described and'claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the improved oyster-culling hammer. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the head detached from the handle.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A designates the head of the tool, which head is provided with a hammer end a, a pick or rake end I), and a handle-eye c, in which are formed two diametrically opposite recesses 01 in alinement with the two ends of the head, as best shown in Fig. 3. V

The wood handle B of the tool has one end inserted in the eye 0 of the head and is provided at a point remote from said headfor instance, one-third to one -half the entire length of the handle-with a transverse hole e extending entirely therethrough, and a fastening 0, preferably of stout malleable. wire, is provided with a transverse portion f in the said hole 6 and'with two parallel guard members g extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the handle to the head. The ends of said guard members pass through the recesses 01 to the outer face of the head A and are there bent laterally, as indicated at h, to form hooks in contact with the said head, whereby the head is fastened securely to the handle.

It is to be especially noted that the guard members of the fastening-wire O, that extend longitudinally along the handle B, are not recessed in said handle, but are entirely exposed along the handle below the metal head, the latter, bymeans of its recesses d,

which receive the wires, making suitable provision for the passage of the wires thereguard and protect the handle below the head from the rough oyster-shells as the pick end of the tool rakes the oysters from the pile, and then the hammer end of the tool knocks apart several oysters that may have adhered together or knocks off barnacles or empty shells. I

Without the wire-guard members on thesides of the handle below the head the shells and sharp stones would cut the handle, so that it would soon break, and when the hammer part of the tool is used for opening oysters the wire guard will protect the handle if it should strike against the sharp break on which the oyster is held while its mouth is being broken on".

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 An oyster-culling hammer and rake comprising a metal head provided with a pick end and a hammer end, and also provided with a handle-eye in whose walls are formed dia metrically opposite recesses in alinement with the said two ends of the head; a wood handle fitted in said eye and provided at a point re mote from said head with a transverse hole; and a fastening-wire secured in said hole and provided with two guard members extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the hau= dle belowthe head and entirely exposed and projecting beyondthe said sides of the handle and each of said members passing through one of the recesses in the head, with its extremity forming a hook in contact with the outer face of the latter, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. RUSSELL. 

